Herbert Chatzky, Musician And Teacher, Dies At 78

Herbert Chatzky, a well-known pianist and music educator, died Sept. 5. He was 78.

For 25 years, Chatzky, who lived in Manchester from 1976 to 1997, was a fixture in the South Windsor school system. He taught students at the town's elementary schools and at Timothy Edwards Middle School.

"His mantra was that anybody can play the notes, but playing notes and playing the music are two different things," said his son, David Chatzky.

In Manchester, Herbert Chatzky founded the Manchester Young Artist Competition in 1974, in which young musicians competed every year for a chance to perform at a final concert.

"He developed the young artist competition to encourage youngsters to excel and do their best and encourage them to continue on," his son said.

One of Herbert Chatzky's longtime students was Scott Hiltzik, a Grammy-nominated composer and educator who is now living in California. Hiltzik, who grew up in West Hartford, took private lessons when he was a teenager.

"In a music student's life that's a very important time," Hiltzik said. "For me he was very inspiring. I was at that age where I was kind of looking for something very serious. When I heard him play it was obvious that this man was really brilliant. Shortly thereafter I began studying with him."

Herbert Chatzky went to the Juilliard School of Music on a full scholarship and graduated in 1958. He went on to teach music at Juilliard, Bowling Green State University and the Hartt School of Music before landing in South Windsor.

"Other than his kids and his wife and his dogs, music was everything," his son said.

As a teacher, Herbert Chatzky left his influence on a number of people. David Chatzky often is asked if he's related to his father when people find out his last name.

"I would often run into people and they'd found out what my last name was," David Chatzky said. "I'd find out that they were in his classes. They always painted a picture of him as someone who was a fair teacher, someone who was very firm with high expectations in the classroom, but also very funny."

Hiltzik, who maintained a relationship with Herbert Chatzky, said he left a lifelong impression on him and his work.

"Now as I'm a professional musician and composer, as a teacher I would say he was wonderfully frustrating." Hiltzik said. "It's something that I really appreciate to this day, that there were things that he did not give me answers to and I love that, actually."

The two performed together in public for the first time this past April.

"I really feel the loss," Hiltzik said. "It's that inspiration that I always felt. Life had plans for him to contribute in a way other than becoming a household name. His musicianship was just extraordinary."

Before settling down with his wife, Sally, and raising his three children, David Chatzky, Lisa O'Brien and Christine Regan, Herbert Chatzky was able to travel. When he was young he often made trips to Europe to perform.

"He wanted to be a dad, he wanted to take care of us," David Chatzky said. "He loved his wife and he didn't want to always be traveling to Europe. He wanted to be there for us."

As a father, he was able to continue to perform in addition to his teachings. A man of devout Jewish faith, he was also the music director and organist at the Temple Beth Israel in West Hartford and Second Congregational Church in Manchester. He was also choirmaster and pianist for the Hartford Symphony Chorale.

His family, friends, colleagues and former students will remember Herbert Chatzky, a man passionate about his craft, as a friendly and funny professional who retained his youth until the end.

"The beauty of Herbie was that he made you feel like you were a colleague and a friend," said Tami Cherdack, who worked with him for 18 years. "He was just as goofy as any other young kid. He loved young people, but that's because he was one forever."